Club Med Ixtapa Pacific Resort in Mexico

Looking for a family-friendly all-inclusive resort on the west coast of Mexico? Club Med Ixtapa Pacific resort sprawls over 31 acres near Zihuatanejo, about 100 miles north of Acapulco.

The resort features a slew of recreational areas, including a full-size soccer field, tennis center, circus school with a trapeze, archery range, and a range of watersports at the beach. An open-air palapa facing the beach is used for fitness classes and for rehearsals for kids' dance classes.

There are great kids' programs from babies through teens. While many resorts limit their supervised activity programs for potty-trained kids 3 and up, Club Med is a boon for families with babies and toddlers.

Programs start for babies 4 months and up and run all the way to 17 years.

Features at Club Med Ixtapa Pacific

Club Med Ixtapa Pacific is blessed with a choice location on Playa Quieta. This is a spacious resort, built in hacienda-style in three-storey buildings with terracotta tile roofs. Extra-large suites are available for families.

Dining is a high point at Club Med. The main restaurant, El Encanto, has outdoor tables, and several differently-styled areas indoors with A/C; this restaurant is buffet-style, and also has a corner for baby food. The beachside Miramar has a la carte items and is open late. The fine-dining restaurant is the elegant Luna Azul, where reservations are needed.

Kids programs at Club Med are extensive and very highly rated by guests.

Baby Welcome is a program that provides perks for families with babies, including loaner strollers, bathtubs, bottle warmers, potties, and portable play-cribs. Restaurants feature a microwave, bottle warmers, high chairs, and booster seats. There is also a 24-hour convenience room with sterilizers, blenders, and bottle warmers.

Baby Club Med (ages 4 to 23 months) and Petit Club Med (ages 2 and 3) require registration and an extra charge.

Mini Club Med is offered for ages 4 to 10, divided into several age groups. Kids can participate in a wide array of fun activities and sports. The circus school offers workshops in juggling, trampoline, and trapeze.

Junior Club Med is offered year-round for ages 11 to 13, and during some school holidays for ages 14 to 17. Junior Club Med has similar activities to the Mini-Club. Teen programs are less formalized, with group activities often decided by a vote.

Excursion options let you explore outside the resort. On our visit, we took a lovely horse ride along a beautiful beach and an ATV outing that was a hit with teens. A snorkeling trip to a nearby island is a popular choice, too. You can also easily visit Zihautenejo {"Zihau") by taxi.

Keep in Mind

Daybeds by the pool are great for families with little kids

Lounge deck above the beach is nice at sunset

Lockers and change rooms are available for those with a late departure

Buildings don't have elevators, so if you have a lot of kiddie gear, request a ground floor

Family suites are available

Most rooms have a balcony or patio; request one if it is important to you

As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary accommodation for the purpose of review. While it has not influenced this review, TripSavvy.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.